Lifter for building-blocks.



H0 MODEL.

' PATENTED JULY 7,1903. L. P. NORMANDIN.

LIFTER FOR BUILDING BLOCKS.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 26, 1902.

3O l block.

No. 732,884. V

UNITED STATES Patented Jul *7, 1903.

PATENT @FFICE.

LEVI P. NORMANDIN, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF THREE FOURTI-IS TOWILLIAM F. OOWI-IAM, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

LIFTER FOR BUILDING-BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,884, dated July'7,1903.

Applicationfiled Novcmher 25, 1902. Serial No. 132,744. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI P. N ORMANDIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LiftersforBuilding- Blocks, of which the following is a specification,reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to lifters, being more especially designed for usein connection with the manufacture of building-blocks. These blocks areusually formed by the molding of cementitious plastic material upon asuitable bottom plate or pallet, the molded block being permitted toremain on said pallet until the cement has hardened. It is necessary,however, that the block be removed from the machine in order that thelatter may be used' for forming other blocks. Heretofore this has beendone by providing lifting devices which engage with opposite ends of thepallet or bottom plate; but it has been found in practice that theweight of the material in the block will often fiex thesupporting-plate, so as to injure the shape of the block.

. It is the object of the present invention to provide means forremoving the molded block upon its pallet or bottom plate without dangerof in any way injuring the shape of the To this end the inventionconsists in the peculiar construction of the lifter havingsupporting-bearing for the bottom plate intermediate the ends thereof,and, further, in

I thepeculiar construction, arrangement, and

combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and shown.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing a portion of thebed upon which the block is molded, together with the block supported onits pallet and thellifter for removing the same. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation showing the lifter in engagement with the block.

A is the bed of the machine, on which the block is molded. Upon this bedis supported the pallet B, which in the molding of the block forms thebottom plate of the mold. After the formation of the block by mechanismwhich forms no part of the present invention the pallet B is slid overthe bed to one edge thereof, which is provided with a series of spacedprojecting arms 0.

D is the lifter, which comprises a series of arms a, connected to acommon head or crossbar band having an upwardly-projecting portion 0,which in turn is provided with a laterally-projecting portion or arm d.This arm d is connected to a suitable hoisting apparatus E, and in orderthat the block which is to be supported on the arms a may be securelybalanced a connection with thehoist is provided which is adjustable uponthe arm d. This, as shown, comprises a clevis e and a boltf, engagingwith one of a series of apertures gin the arm 01. The arms a arepreferably provided with shoulders h, against which the edge of thepallet may be placed. These arms a are so spaced as to intermesh withthe arms 0 of the bed A, and they are also arranged so as to support thepallet intermediate its ends, and thereby prevent any sagging.

With the construction described in operation the forming-block and itspallet are first slid over the bed and onto the arm 0. The hoist E isthen moved to carry the lifter D into a position where the arms a may beinserted between the arms G and beneath the pallet, the shoulder hbearing against the edge of said pallet. The clevises e having beenfirst properly adjusted according to the size of the block, it isevident that by lifting upon the hoist the block and pallet will beraised out of engagement with the arm (3, af-

ter which they may be carried to any convenient position for remaininguntil the cement is hardened. To disengage the hook from the pallet andalso to support said pallet so that it will not sag, a number of spaced.bars may be arranged, corresponding in. spacing to the arm 0, upon thebed, and with the construction described the blocks may bequicklyremoved from the machine and without the slightest injury to the shapeof the block.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A lifter, comprising a plurality ofarms extending in a common horizontal plane, an

arm arranged therebetween in a higher plane,

a transverse bar connecting the ends of the lower arms and barsoppositely inclined in a vertical plane connectiugsaid upper arm withsaid transverse bar on opposite sides of the center thereof.

2. A lifter, comprising three parallel arms arranged in the samehorizontal plane, an arm arranged in a higher plane and in the verticalplane of the central lower arm, a transverse bar connecting the ends ofsaid lower arms, and a pair of oppositely-inclined bars connected attheir upper ends to said upper arms and at their lower ends to saidtransverse bar intermediate the connection of said lower arms thereto.

3. A lifter for building-blocks comprising a plurality of arms extendingin a common horizontal plane, an arm arranged centrally therebetween ina higher plane with connection between said lower and upper arms at oneend thereof, shoulders formed on the lower arms for centering a blockthereon, and a hoist connected to said upper arm.

4. A lifter, comprising a triangular frame arranged in a vertical planeand having the plurality of arms depending and extending transverselyfrom said base in acommon horizontal plane.

5. The combination with a bottom plate for supporting a moldedbuilding-block, a bed or table upon which said plate is adapted to restduring molding, and a series of space-arms extending horizontally fromone edge of said bed of a lifter comprising a plurality of armsextending in a horizontal plane and adapted to be inserted between saidspace-arms on said bed, and a common connection from said lifter-arms toa point in a vertical line with the center of gravity of said lifter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' LEVI P. NORMANDIN.

Witnesses:

KITTIE O. MORRISON, DANIEL H. PERRY.

